Imaging method comprising moving an image sensor along a first direction among a plurality of positions relative to a scene and capturing partial image of the scene respectively at the plurality of positions

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method comprising: moving an image sensor along a first direction among a plurality of positions relative to a scene and capturing partial images of the scene respectively at the plurality of positions; forming an image of the scene from the partial images; wherein the image sensor has an active area and a dead zone; wherein the dead zone extends along a second direction; wherein the second direction is at an angle with the first direction; wherein each point in the scene falls on the dead zone no more than once when the image sensor is at the plurality of positions.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 moving an image sensor along a first direction among a plurality of positions relative to a scene and capturing partial images of the scene respectively at the plurality of positions; and 
 forming an image of the scene from the partial images; 
 wherein the image sensor has an active area and a dead zone; 
 wherein the dead zone extends along a second direction; 
 wherein the second direction is at an angle with the first direction; and 
 wherein each point in the scene falls on the dead zone no more than once when the image sensor is at the plurality of positions. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dead zone extends across the active area. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dead zone divides the active area into multiple spatially discontinuous portions. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the image sensor comprises a plurality of radiation detectors. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of radiation detectors overlap one another. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the plurality of radiation detectors has an edge parallel to the first direction. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the plurality of radiation detectors comprises:
 a radiation absorption layer comprising an electric contact; 
 a first voltage comparator configured to compare a voltage of the electric contact to a first threshold; 
 a second voltage comparator configured to compare the voltage to a second threshold; 
 a counter configured to register a number of particles of radiation incident on the radiation absorption layer; 
 a controller; 
 wherein the controller is configured to start a time delay from a time at which the first voltage comparator determines that an absolute value of the voltage equals or exceeds an absolute value of the first threshold; 
 wherein the controller is configured to activate the second voltage comparator during the time delay; and 
 wherein the controller is configured to cause at least one of the numbers of particles of radiation to increase by one, when the second voltage comparator determines that an absolute value of the voltage equals or exceeds an absolute value of the second threshold. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the image sensor further comprises an integrator electrically connected to the electric contact, wherein the integrator is configured to collect charge carriers from the electric contact. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to activate the second voltage comparator at a beginning or an expiration of the time delay. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to connect the electric contact to an electrical ground. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 7 , wherein a rate of change of the voltage is substantially zero at an expiration of the time delay. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the radiation absorption layer comprises single-crystalline silicon. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the image sensor does not comprise a scintillator. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of radiation detectors is arranged on a planar surface of a support, and wherein radiation-receiving surfaces of the plurality of radiation detectors are tilted relative to the planar surface of the support. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of radiation detectors comprises a first radiation detector and a second radiation detector, wherein the first radiation detector is arranged in a different orientation than the second radiation detector. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of radiation detectors comprises a first radiation detector and a second radiation detector, wherein the first radiation detector has an edge parallel to the first direction and the second radiation detector has an edge parallel to the second direction. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming projections of guard rings in the partial images. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the image sensor comprises a plurality of pixels; wherein the image sensor is configured to count numbers of particles of radiation incident on the plurality of pixels, within a period of time. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the particles of radiation are X-ray photons.